A Butler Between Them
by IWalkedAwayfromOmelas
Summary: Ciel and Elizabeth are grown and married. Sebastian thinks the marriage can be to his advantage as well.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: His Butler, At the Wedding

Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji

Of course he had been the first to notice the crack, this omnipotent being. He noticed the first slight crumbling and deterioration in the proverbial edifice. Only in this instance, he did not seek to repair the offending blemish. He wanted to help it grow. He hoped to nurture it from a small crack to a canyon.

Their marriage ceremony had been lavish, as was expected. In attendance were all of the finest members of society. Those in attendance busied themselves with conversation. They spoke of the beauty and pleasantness of the bride. They told the bride's parents how fortunate they were to have such a lovely and kind daughter. Then they whispered amongst themselves of how unfortunate it was that such a lovely girl should be married to someone so cynical and cold. They whispered that the man should be lucky that the betrothal was made before the accident that claimed his parents and forever changed him. Otherwise, he would never have been blessed with such a fine young woman for a wife.

Elizabeth Middleford, by all accounts, had grown into an astonishing young lady. At the age of 21 she possessed all of the traits desirable in a woman of good breeding. She was a lissome woman with gentle curves, long golden tresses and emerald green eyes. Her demeanor was kind, quiet and jovial. The consensus was that Elizabeth would make a fine spouse.

Unfortunately, the consensus for the groom was not the same. Ciel Phantomhive had grown up to be physically attractive, that no one could deny. The once petite boy had grown into a tall and robust young man. His body, while lean and limber, still possessed the broadness and sturdiness that all women desired in their men. Only his ever present eye patch marred his striking features. Where there was no criticism from the general public concerning Ciel's looks the same could not be said for his manners. Ciel came across as cold and uncaring. He made little effort to involve himself in the joys or miseries of others. Since he cared little about others, they cared little about him. He did however, make good fodder for society's busy-bodies.

There was little else to gossip about , other than the groom's cold demeanor, during the stylish wedding or the reception that followed. Everything was elegantly organized and executed. The garden had been turned into a wonderland with hanging lanterns glistening from trees and fantastic candelabras at each table. The silver and table linens were spotless. No fault could be found in the excellent cuisine or flowing champagne. Table after table was covered with delicious meats, cheeses and vegetables, all cooked to perfection. Fresh fruits and pastries were overflowing. The wedding cake was towering and artfully decorated with both confection and fresh flowers. A ice sculpture of epic proportions towered in the center of the garden, with the appearance of a work from Michelangelo.

Everything was flawless. Throughout the evening only one servant could be seen weaving in and out of the numerous guests. He moved quickly and gracefully; pulling out chairs, filling glasses and serving food. No guest was left wanting, but all were left amazed by his ability and his good looks. The tall dark haired man garnered the attention of all of the female guests, and some of the male. One inquisitive elderly woman summoned his attention. Even at her age she blushed when watching the young man approach her.

"My dear," she began "I am astonished by your performance this evening. Your Master must hold you in high regard to trust you to single-handedly run his wedding. Or, am I to assume that the Phantomhive fortune has taken a turn for the worse and the estate can no longer afford more than one servant?"

The striking butler, Sebastian, responded, "I assure you madam, my Master's estate has never been more profitable and we have other servants in our employ. However, they are all tied up at the moment. The responsibility of the wedding is an easy task. After all, I am one hell of a butler."

He took the elderly woman's hand and placed a kiss upon her fingers before dashing away, leaving her flushed and blushing. Turning to her table mates she questioned why the other servants were "all tied up." After all, what could be more important than their Master's wedding?

Little did any of the guest know that three of the other four servants of the Phantomhive family sat no more than a yard away, bound with rope to the high branches of a tall tree, looking out over the festivities. The cook, maid and gardener all discussed the night amongst themselves, and agreed how nice it was for Sebastian to let them see the wedding. This was, after all, not the first time they had been bound to keep from causing trouble. At least this time they weren't locked in the basement or closet as well. Sebastian had been following orders to let nothing spoil the evening. The fourth remaining servant sat quietly from the tallest room in the estate. He watched events from the window, sipped his tea and quietly wrote in his journal, recording as always the things he had witnessed at the Phantomhive estate.

After the last guest trickled off the estate the other servants were released to clean up from the day's events. Sebastian lead the way for Ciel and Elizabeth, now man and wife, back to the estate. Opening the manor door for them he watched them enter, Elizabeth beaming and Ciel as indifferent as usual. With his usual speed he dashed ahead and left a tray of tea in the master suite and left the couple alone for what was supposed to be their first night of wedded bliss. A tinge of jealousy sparked within him.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: His Butler, Lurking

The atmosphere began to grow heavy as soon as they entered the room. Ciel allowed Elizabeth to enter first and followed, closing the door behind him. They stood still for a moment. Elizabeth looked at her surroundings, taking in what would be her new bedroom. Nervousness began to build within her. Ciel stood silently behind her, watching and not knowing quite what to do. This moment would be Elizabeth's first disappointment. She had expected passion from him on this night. The scene had played out in her mind over and over in the days before the wedding. In her visions her new husband would be so overwrought with desire that he would throw her on the bed and begin to ravish her the moment they walked into the room. He would lead the way in her journey to becoming a woman. The scene in her mind would not play out. After agonizing moments of silence Ciel finally stirred.

"I'll show you the quarters," he said quietly. She walked with him around the large room. The bedroom contained everything she expected: a sitting area in front of the fire, a elegant writing desk, a massive armoire, and a lavish bed. Seeing the bed she felt heat rise to her cheeks and glanced sideways at Ciel. Clearing his throat he began to walk past the sitting area. There were two doors, one on either side of the fireplace. The door on the right held Ciel's wedding gift to her. He pushed the door open for her. The room was exquisitely decorated with plush sofas and chairs. The far end of the room held an artfully crafted vanity table and matching armoire. Completing the arrangement stood a massive, elaborately carved privacy screen; from which were hung three of the most beautiful dresses Elizabeth had ever seen, each one more divine than the next. Elizabeth walked forward giddy and eager to inspect the finery. It was then that she noticed a necklace hanging from the hangers above the neckline of each dress. Each necklace was stunningly crafted; one of diamonds, one of emeralds and one of sapphire. Elizabeth stood transfixed, tears welling in her eyes before her emotions boiled over. Returning to the inhibition of her childhood, she turned and ran towards Ciel with her arms outstretched.

"Oh Ciel," she exclaimed ,grasping him in her arms, "it's so wonderful. I've never seen anything so beautiful."

He returned the hug and Elizabeth's hopes returned to her. Her imagination ran wild with her again. This hug would be the catalyst to ignite Ciel's passion, the hug would turn to a kiss, the kiss would turn to caresses and the caresses would turn to love making. Her dreams were once again dashed when Ciel broke the hug and turned away from her. Elizabeth quickly reached for Ciel again, only to check herself and clasp her hands together to let them sit at her waist.

"Sebastian has already unpacked your trucks that were sent over today," he stated rather quietly. "You should be able to find everything with ease. If you have any trouble ring the bell and Sebastian will come, or he will send Maylene if that makes you more comfortable. I will speak with your family tomorrow about transferring Paula to our employ. That way you may have some of the comforts you are used to at home. If you'll excuse me, I have some business I must attend to before the day is out."

Upon completing this statement Ciel quickly exited the room before Elizabeth could respond. Elizabeth stood list fully looking at the door her husband had just closed. She felt the sadness growing for a moment and then pushed it away. She smiled to herself confident in the belief that Ciel must just be as nervous as she was. She sat at her new vanity and marveled at the craftsmanship. She slowly began to pull pins from her hair. She undid the intricate folds and curls that had been styled into her hair for the ceremony. She allowed her hair to fall in waves down her back. She undressed and quickly cleaned herself with water from an already prepared basin.

She searched the armoire and found the peignoir set that had been a wedding gift from her aunt. She pulled on the silk stockings, nightdress and the peignoir itself. She checked herself in the mirror and nervously prepared to exit the room. She stood for a moment with her hand on the doorknob in anticipation. She played things out once again in her mind. Ciel would be back from attending to business and waiting in the room for her. She would walk into the room in the soft glow of the fireplace and Ciel would be in awe of her appearance. He would approach her with lust in his eyes and she would finally be able to fulfill her wifely duties.

She sucked in a breath and opened the door. She glanced around the room only to see it empty. She remained positive. Hopes undaunted, she prided herself on having a husband who would work so hard. She made her way to the bed and removed her peignoir. She gently laid it on a chair close to the bed. Folding back the covers she climbed into the humongous bed, sitting still for a moment to listen for anyone approaching. Once she was sure she was safe she began to manipulate the pillows. She settled back on them and tried to arrange herself in what she thought would be an ideal position. She fanned her hair out behind her and pulled her nightdress down and open at the neckline, hoping it had the appearance of merely falling open to give a small peak of her assets. She knew that this would be the trick. Ciel would come in the room and find her as such and be uncontrollable.

Elizabeth waited, pretending to doze. Her mood became somber when an hour had passed and Ciel had still not shown himself. Soon real sleep took over and she curled on to her side for comfort. Ciel would not see her prettily laid out that night. However, all the effort she had taken in arranging herself on the bed was not wasted. Lurking in the shadows Sebastian had stood, watching her in the few moments before she had went to sleep. He delighted in watching the young lady's full chest contract and expand when the heavy breaths of sleep began. He also delighted in her heartbreak that Ciel had not yet returned to the room. Most of all he delighted in the fact that his Lord was not in bed with this woman. When she rolled over he faded completely into the darkness.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: His Butler, Teasing

While Elizabeth prepared herself for bed Ciel made his way to the study. Having no real work to do, he pulled papers on to his desk to give the appearance of being busy should his blushing bride decide to visit him there. He leaned back in his chair and looked toward the ceiling. Closing his eyes, his face turned to a scowl. How was he supposed to do this, he wondered to himself. He married Elizabeth mostly because it was his duty, and it always helped to have one of his chess pieces close at hand. Granted, this was not the only reason for their marriage. He and Elizabeth had once been the best of friends, back when he was still able to be happy. After the tragic events of his youth she had been a comfort to him. She was one of the few things in his life that had remained a constant. He dared to say that he cared for her quite a bit.

The fact that he did indeed care for her created his largest dilemma. He knew that he could never be the husband she needed or deserved. He could never be happy or pacified just by being in her presence. Even if he did grow to love the girl there was no telling how long the marriage would last. At some point he knew that everything he set out to do would be complete. Once that happened the contract with Sebastian would be fulfilled and he would be gone. He decided then that it would do no good for either Elizabeth or himself to become too attached to one another. The decision still left him pondering how he should handle things. The best he could do at the moment was to keep himself guarded as usual.

Ciel sat in the chair for ages before the door to the study opened with a creak. Stirring from his meditation Ciel watched his stoic butler approach the desk. Sebastian, fresh from watching the sleeping Elizabeth, smirked at the young man.

"What could possibly be so pressing that it would keep you from the supple young flesh that waits for you upstairs? Perhaps the _charms _Lady Elizabeth possesses do not appeal to you," Sebastian stated, smiling at the end of his clearly goading statements.

"Need I remind you that not all of my affairs should concern you," Ciel replied evenly. He would not give Sebastian the satisfaction of a venomous response.

Sebastian bent at the waist and cupped his hand against his mouth, leaning in close to Ciel's ear for a mock whisper.

"If you so desire I would gladly teach you how to be..._intimate_," Sebastian grinned into Ciel's ear.

Ciel felt his skin ripple when Sebastian's hot breath brushed his ear. His eyes went wide for a moment at the comment, and the torrent of thoughts that followed. He quickly reigned in his emotions and swatted at Sebastian over his shoulder as if he were a fly. He offered no reply to the butler, merely a condescending look. Sensing he would receive no response the butler bowed politely.

"If you have no further use of me I shall retire for the evening, my lord," he stated before exiting the room.

Ciel was once again left alone with his thoughts. Finally resigning himself to return to his chambers upstairs he sighed heavily. He was not sure what would happen between Elizabeth and himself, but he knew that he would have to face her eventually. Making his way through the darkened estate back to his quarters he felt the nervousness return to him full force. Relief washed over him when he opened the door to find Elizabeth sleeping. At least for the moment he could avoid her expectant and hopeful eyes. No large decisions had to be made this evening.

Quietly, he made his way across the room. Removing his vestments he located his nightshirt and quickly donned it. Stepping over to Elizabeth's side of the bed he snuffed out the candles she had left burning in the candelabra. He returned to his side of the bed, gently lifted the covers and slowly slid himself in the bed. He stayed close to the edge, careful that no part of him had any threat of coming into contact with Elizabeth's. In the darkness he thought to himself that, regardless of anything else, it was nice not to have to be alone in the darkness of the bedroom.

Before allowing sleep to take him he reached over and grabbed a curl of Elizabeth's long hair that was splayed across the bed. He deftly rubbed the hair between his fingers, reveling in how soft it was. He brought the curl to his nose and inhaled deeply. The warm, sweet fragrance of her hair lulled him to sleep.

A couple of short hours later Elizabeth turned in her sleep. She awoke, slightly frightened, when she felt a tug at her hair. She allowed her eyes to adjust in the dark room that was only illuminated by dim glowing embers from the fireplace. She looked over to see Ciel, a strand of her hair wrapped around his finger, his hand resting on the pillow close to his head. She smiled at seeing him so innocent. Her smile quickly diminished when she realized none of her expectations for the evening had been met. She worried about why he returned to the room merely to go to sleep. Had he just been kind and decided to leave her sleeping? Or had he simply not wanted to touch her?

She felt defeated. After a few moments of self pity she reached a new resolve. It was still dark outside and that meant that there was still time to salvage her wedding night. She clenched her fists and steadied herself. It was all up to her to initiate the evening's events. She hoped she would have the courage to follow through; and she prayed that her new husband would not think her too brazen for what she was about to do.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: His Butler, Neglected

LEMON WARNING

Elizabeth sat up in bed and turned toward Ciel. She gently pulled her hair from his finger and debated on her approach. She reached toward her husband with her shaking hand, only to withdraw it. She breathed deep and summoned all her courage. Deciding on a course of action she lifted the covers and snuggled her body up to Ciel. She gently touched Ciel's chest at first and then allowed her hand to roam his chest through his nightshirt. Ciel stirred slightly and resettled, taking a deep breath. Lifting herself up on one arm Elizabeth pulled at the string that tied Ciel's nightshirt at his neck. Once undone she allowed her hands to again roam his chest, this time under the nightshirt. She listened as Ciel's breathing began to change.

Gingerly she leaned forward and pressed her body against his. She placed a kiss on his lips and felt him shift. Knowing he would be waking soon she placed another kiss on his lips. She leaned in further and placed a kiss on his neck. She nuzzled him with her nose and whispered his name in his ear. Upon hearing his name Ciel's eyes fluttered open. He allowed the eye that was not covered with a patch to adjust to the dim lighting. He felt Elizabeth pressed against him, her hand once again roaming his chest. He stilled her hand , shocked.

"Elizabeth," he questioned, "what are you doing?"

Elizabeth sat up and turned to look at Ciel. Allowing herself to feel foolish for only a moment she pulled the tie at the neckline of her nightdress and allowed the garment to fall from her shoulders to pool at her waist. Ciel's eyes went wide once she was exposed to him.

"I am trying to be a good wife to my husband," she boldly replied.

After her statement she grabbed Ciel's nearest hand with both of hers. She brought Ciel's hand to her mouth and placed a kiss on his knuckles. After the kiss she opened his hand and placed his palm in the valley between her breasts. His breath caught at the action.

"Both my heart and my body belong to you," she stated sincerely. She removed her hand from his and was surprised when he did not remove his hand but left it pressed against her heart.

Ciel let his hand remain and noted how her heart was pounding. Still keeping his hand in place he pushed off the bed with his other arm and propped himself up on his straightened arm. Closer to eye level with Elizabeth he allowed his gaze to shift from her expecting eyes to his hand. Staring at his large hand on her chest he followed his desire and willed it to move. He ghosted his hand from the valley of her breasts to grasp one of the full mounds. She gasped as his fingers grazed her nipple. She arched her back and pressed harder into his grasp. Ciel sat transfixed lightly massaging her breast before reality came crashing back to him.

Ciel began to withdraw his hand, Elizabeth followed it. She gently pushed him back down on his pillows and straddled his body. She buried her face in his chest, tears threatening to fall from her eyes.

"Don't stop Ciel," she pleaded. "Is there something wrong with me?" she immediately questioned, looking into his face, eyes moist.

Ciel cursed himself mentally, this was the one thing he had hoped to avoid tonight; hurting her. He sat staring at her, not quite knowing what to say or do. He shifted and sat upright. Now face to face with the woman straddling him. He sighed heavily.

"I don't want to hurt you, Elizabeth," Ciel whispered as he reached up to stroke her hair.

Misunderstanding his meaning Elizabeth's spirits began to lift.

"Oh Ciel, every woman says it hurts only a little the first time," she said smiling. "I've dreamed of our first night together for so long. Please love me."

She pulled Ciel closer to her by his open nightshirt and kissed his lips. Ciel reveled in the warmth of her lips and the softness of her breasts pushing into his bare chest. Desire flooded into Ciel and he returned the kiss. Consequences be damned, in this moment he wanted her and would have her. Shifting the two of them Ciel moved Elizabeth on to her back. Grabbing one of her wrists in each hand he placed them above her head. He released her wrists and trailed his hands down her arms, over her breasts and to her hips. Stopping for a moment he let his hand clutch at her hips, which were still covered with the silk nightdress. He pulled her closer to him and slid his hands underneath her to clutch her firm,round bottom. His hands continued their journey to her thighs. There he removed the white silk stockings she wore and the belts that held them in place. Lifting her legs in the air he removed the nightdress that remained pooled at her hips.

He replaced her legs around his hips and pulled his nightshirt off. Stilling for a moment he took the opportunity to look over her nude form. Again his passion gave way to the realization of what was happening. He suddenly became nervous and unsure of how to continue. Sensing his hesitation Elizabeth reached up and wrapped a hand around the back of his neck. He looked at her expectantly and she pulled him to her for a kiss. The kiss started slow and sweet before reigniting the flames within them.

Ciel kissed her with renewed fervor and allowed his mouth to leave hers and make its way to her neck. He showered her neck and collarbone with gentle kisses, every so often taking a tentative lick with his tongue. Deciding he wanted to touch her again he cautiously moved his hand to her breast. He awkwardly fumbled for a moment before settling into a rhythm of massaging her breast and ever so slightly tugging at her nipple with his thumb and index finger. He delighted in the moans coming from Elizabeth. Growing bolder he moved his mouth to the unattended breast and flicked his tongue over the nipple, swirling it around the aureola. The act made Elizabeth squirm against him, moaning.

Elizabeth's vocalization fueled his bravery. His hand left her breast and made it's way down her body. Rubbing intently at her hip before he slowly skimmed his hands over her golden curls. He made a second pass over her nether region with his hand. This time he allowed his finger to part her soft lips. Exploring this new territory Ciel quickly realized when he found the center of her pleasure and rubbed in circles over it. Elizabeth all but screamed at the initial touch.

His want becoming too strong he removed his hand and mouth from her body and removed his undergarment, freeing his erection from it's confines. Elizabeth propped herself up on her elbows so that she could take in the sight of her unclothed husband. She looked into his face, cheeks blushing and reached to touch his freshly exposed member. She gently trailed her fingers over it, making Ciel burn with desire. He pushed her back down with a passionate kiss.

Breaking the kiss, he leaned back onto his heels and positioned himself at her entrance. He slowly pushed himself in gasping along with her when resistance gave way. Ciel did not move for a moment; partly because he was concerned for Elizabeth, but mostly because the initial feeling was so pleasurable he thought he would come undone with one stroke.

Reigning himself in he felt his stamina return and began moving again to set the rhythm for both of them. Elizabeth moaned and clutched at his hands at her hips. Ciel felt himself weakening and knew that fighting the urge was useless. He lifted her by her hips and pulled her closer. He rested her bottom on his thighs and lifted himself slightly. The new and deeper angle made both of their heads swim. Ciel sped up his pace grunting in time with her moans. They both found their release just as dawn was breaking; his name spilled from her mouth in a scream and he moaned deeply.

At that moment Sebastian had been making his way through the halls to go downstairs and begin preparing for the day. The cries of completion from the couple reached his ears. He stilled for a moment and then smirked to himself and resumed walking.

"I could make you moan better than that, my lord," he said to no one.

Back inside the room the newlyweds unwound their limbs. Ciel laid back on his pillows and Elizabeth snuggled close to his side. She pulled the covers over the two of them and placed her head on his chest. In this moment she was divinely happy. Ciel felt strangely at peace, ever so briefly, until Elizabeth spoke.

"We're going to have such a wonderful life together," she sighed.

Ciel tensed at the words and felt anger return to him. He very well couldn't tell her that they had no chance of a life together. He had made a mistake, he had gotten carried away. If he continued in this way Elizabeth would only be devastated when he was gone. He would have to be more careful to keep his distance. He looked down to Elizabeth and saw that she was asleep. He carefully lowered her head to a pillow and exited the bed. This would not happen again, he told himself.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: His Butler, Plotting

Ciel spent the first few hours of the morning working in his study while Elizabeth slept. He sat at his desk with his vest open and tie draped around his neck. The collar of his shirt was unbuttoned. He sat reading the same paper over and over, never really absorbing its contents. He was brooding and foul-tempered when Sebastian entered the room.

"Good morning, young master," Sebastian said smiling. He entered the room with a service tray filled with tea and assorted breakfast pastries. "This morning's tea is the Echinacea tea. The weather will be turning colder soon and the Echinacea flower is known to prevent illness."

Ciel said nothing, but sat with and ominous aura. Sebastian tingled with excitement, he loved so much to goad the young master when he was already in a mood.

"You seem rather glum today. Did the evening's festivities not meet your expectations? Or perhaps you overexerted yourself, " the butler questioned keeping his face stoic.

"Don't patronize me today, Sebastian. I'm in no mood for it," Ciel replied.

Sebastian nodded in response and placed the hot cop of tea in front of Ciel on his desk. Sebastian opened a black ledger on the tea tray and pulled a paper from it. He placed the paper in front of Ciel as well. Looking over the document, a written schedule for the day's activities, Ciel breathed a sigh of relief. He would be both busy and away for most of the day. This meant he wouldn't have to worry himself with avoiding Elizabeth.

"What troubles you, young Master," Sebastian questioned in one of his moments of true concern.

Ciel did not reply at first. He sat pondering on whether or not he should divulge his concerns to his butler. Why not, he thought. In the years they had been together Sebastian had been his closest confidant. However, he always questioned Sebastian's motives for everything. He could never really tell if the emotions he displayed were genuine or if they were part of the perfect butler act. But Ciel still wanted Sebastian to know everything about his life. He wanted to be close to him, both in a physical and mental capacity.

Being close to Sebastian had been so much easier to do when he was younger. When he was younger he needed Sebastian to do almost everything for him. As he aged, depending on Sebastian for everything had grown awkward. At age 14 he informed Sebastian that he would dress himself. This declaration had occurred after a rather embarrassing event. Sebastian had been putting Ciel's shirt on; the feeling of Sebastian's hands caressing his neck to adjust the collar of his shirt had made Ciel's skin tingle. As Sebastian had made his way down, buttoning Ciel's shirt from top to bottom, the thumb and base of his palm had rubbed Ciel's chest and abdomen. Ciel had sat daydreaming and reveling in the feeling. He had been brought back into reality by a chuckle and a snide remark from Sebastian. Both the chuckle and the remark had been about the very prominent erection Ciel had developed. Embarrassed, Ciel turned away and ordered Sebastian to leave. That had been the last time Sebastian had dressed Ciel.

At age 16 Ciel had began to order Sebastian to stay at home while he went out. Jokes and mumblings from society of how the Phantomhive heir still needed a "nanny" had made their way back to him. The only time Sebastian accompanied Ciel now was on vacations and when investigating at the request of the Queen. Finally, at age 18 he had stopped confiding all of his personal feelings to Sebastian. There was no particular reason for this move; only that Ciel felt awkward and confused by Sebastian's presence. He wanted Sebastian around always. The only problem was that when he was around Ciel wanted him closer. He longed to touch him. Coming back to the present, Ciel decided to reach for that closeness of long ago and confide in Sebastian.

"I think I love Elizabeth," Ciel stated scowling.

"Should a husband not love his wife," Sebastian questioned, his mood level as always. Secretly, Ciel's admission had stung Sebastian. He wanted to be the one and only for his master. He wanted Ciel to love him. Who was this girl that she should deserve his affection?

"It will only lead to heartache for Elizabeth," Ciel began. "You and I both know what will happen once the contract is filled. You will have my soul and my body will be left to rot in the ground. Where does that leave Elizabeth? Miserable and mourning over a dead husband. I can't have that, if she doesn't get too attached to me my passing will be easier. It's best if I just keep my distance."

"How very selfish of you," Sebastian replied, shocking Ciel.

"Selfish," Ciel questioned angrily.

Sebastian asked with a smirk, "is it that you don't want to see Lady Elizabeth hurt or that you yourself don't want to hurt? Are you worried it will be to painful to leave her behind when it's time for you to go?" Sebastian tingled in anticipation of consuming Ciel's soul. "It seems to me, that if you really didn't want to see her hurt you would make her hate you. She can still love you even if you put space between the two of you. If you make her hate you she won't feel anything at all when the time comes. Except maybe relief."

Ciel was somewhat shocked at Sebastian's speech. He reflected for a moment. Was Sebastian right? Was he really just trying to spare himself heartache? The best thing for Elizabeth would be for her to hate Ciel. But in order for her to hate Ciel he would have to inflict pain upon her during their time together. That he didn't think he could do. It was a double edged sword; have Elizabeth hurt during their time together or have her hurt after he was gone. Have Elizabeth feel hate or indifference. Either way, he couldn't deal with this right now.

"Sebastian, tell Bard he will be taking me to the factory," Ciel commanded as he rose from his chair and began buttoning his shirt. "Also, I want you to serve Elizabeth her breakfast in bed this morning. After that, call and speak with whoever you need to at the Middleford Estate to find out what needs to be done to bring Paula here," Ciel finished fumbling with his tie, too frustrated to manage it.

"Allow me," Sebastian said before quickly taking the tie from Ciel's bumbling hands. Ciel stood transfixed as Sebastian moved the tie around his neck, adjusted his shirt collar and began to tie the tie. He stared at the man's face, now so close to his. They hadn't been so close to each other in ages. Sebastian's eyes were down, watching his own hands at work. Ciel stood studying his features. Sebastian hadn't aged in the time they had been together, not that Ciel had really expected him to. He was still as beautiful as he always had been. Sebastian finished his work and looked up into Ciel's eyes. They locked gazes for a moment before Ciel became flustered and looked away.

"Tell Bard I will meet him at the front entrance shortly," Ciel stated firmly.

"Yes, my Lord," Sebastian said bowing and turned to leave.

"One more thing Sebastian," Ciel stated before Sebastian had time to fully exit the room. Sebastian stilled and Ciel continued, "make sure Elizabeth is taken care of today. Don't let the others mess anything up for her."

Sebastian nodded in agreement and exited the room. Walking downstairs, he smiled to himself. This could be promising he thought. If he played his cards right this would be a most advantageous situation for him. He could have the opportunity to finally posses his master, both body and soul. And as a bonus he could have the same of Elizabeth Middleford. Such a pure and innocent soul as hers would come in a close second to the taste of his master's. All he had to do was add a little pain and anger for flavoring. This would be fun he thought, his mouth watering.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: His Butler: Charming

Sebastian stood in front of the Phantomhive estate waiting for Ciel to depart, as was his custom when he did not accompany him on an outing. As always, he stood in place until Ciel was completely out of sight. Once his master was out of sight Sebastian returned inside to set about his duties. His first objective was to make the phone call regarding Paula. Once that task was complete he went in to the kitchen to assemble a breakfast tray for Elizabeth. He loaded the tray with anything one could possibly desire: sausage, bacon, eggs, various breakfast pastries, milk, juice, and tea. As ordered, he made his way upstairs where Elizabeth lay sleeping.

Once upstairs Sebastian stealthily made his way into the room. He decided against opening the curtains to let the sun rouse his new mistress. Instead, he would just leave the tray for Elizabeth to wake and find on her own. As late in the morning as it was he could not imagine that she would be asleep much longer. He placed the tray on the table in the sitting area and made his way to the door.

Elizabeth had been lightly dozing for the past hour, lazily fighting the urge to wake up. Hearing movement in the room she came to and slowly pushed herself up. She yawned and stretched her arms to the heavens, a move that felt so good it was sinful. She brought her hands to her eyes and rubbed the sleep from them, offering a "Good Morning" for Ciel as she did so. She opened her eyes to see a bowing Sebastian standing close to the door, Ciel no where in the room.

"Good Morning, Lady Elizabeth," Sebastian replied nonchalantly.

The world stilled and the seconds passed by like hours. Elizabeth had immediately been aware of her state of undress from the previous night. Her reaction time did not seem immediate. She clutched a sheet to her chest concealing herself. She stared at Sebastian for a moment, blushing, before she decided a sheet was not enough. She reached her arm out beside her and dragged the bed curtain across her person. This fully concealed her from the butler, head to toe.

Sebastian laughed inwardly at her actions. She hid behind the curtain like a child hiding in a pillow fort. She had unwittingly put on quite a show for him. The cat like stretch and yawn had been particularly tantalizing.

"I've brought your breakfast. Is there anything else I can do for you Lady Elizabeth," Sebastian questioned.

"O-o-o-ut. Out is good," Elizabeth stammered like a nervous child.

"Yes, my Lady," Sebastian replied, smiling. He turned and exited the room.

Elizabeth waited a moment after hearing the door close before peaking out behind her curtain. Seeing the room void of any other person she came out behind her curtain. She quickly found her night clothes and put them on. That was sufficiently embarrassing, she thought to herself. She couldn't decide what was worse; that Sebastian had seen her topless or that she had behaved like a frightened toddler. Why was it so hard for her to remain calm and collected in awkward situations. She should have just covered herself and spoken to Sebastian like the Lady of the house, which she now was. After all, surely Sebastian had been in service as a butler for quite a while. She was quite sure he had been in situations like this plenty of times before. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't quite shake always feeling like a child.

Once Elizabeth stopped berating herself she looked around and let her loneliness register. She wondered where Ciel was, and why he had not woken her this morning. She made her way to the table with the breakfast tray. Looking at the vast array she never felt so hungry. She picked up a sausage with her fork and inhaled it, chasing it with the glass of juice. Since she was alone, she grabbed a large scone in her hand and began to eat it while walking around the room. She pulled the curtain back from half of the window and turned to observe the room in the light of day. She felt a bit lost for the moment. She was a married woman now, but she still felt so much like a child.

She made her way back to the table. Being full, she decided to lounge in a chair. She waited for a while feeling a vast loneliness. There was nothing so strange as being alone in unfamiliar surroundings. At this moment she missed Paula greatly. She decided two things she wanted and bath and she needed to get dressed. Neither of these could she do without help. She would have to ring the service bell. She was sure Sebastian would be the one to answer it. How embarrassing to face him again so soon. She lightly smacked the cheeks of her face with her hands, commanding herself to grow up. She rang the bell and waited. Sebastian quickly arrived and Elizabeth blushed despite herself.

"Sebastian, please send Maylene to me. I need a bath prepared and help dressing," Elizabeth stated, hoping to sound authoritative.

"Yes, Lady Elizabeth," Sebastian responded, turning to leave.

"Oh, Sebastian," Elizabeth called, stopping him in his exit. "Is Ciel in his study this morning? I'd very much like to see him this morning if he's not too busy."

"I'm afraid the young Master is out of the estate this morning. He had several appointments that required his presence at the factory. He won't be home until late this evening," Sebastian answered.

"Oh, thank you," Elizabeth said, her face registered noticeable disappointment. Gone already, she thought, without a goodbye. That meant she would have to spend the day to herself. She now felt more lonely than she had already. She was now desperately wishing that they had left immediately for their honeymoon tour, rather than postponing it. If they had gone immediately Ciel would be by her side now.

Sebastian sensed the disappointment and loneliness. This girl would be easy to break in the end, he thought. "If that will be all, Lady Elizabeth, I will send Maylene to help you prepare for the day," Sebastian questioned.

"Huh? Oh yes, that will be all," she answered, roused from her mental ramblings.

Sebastian made to leave once again but then turned back to face Elizabeth. The move was quick and unusual, it startled her. "If I may my Lady," Sebastian began, "I'm sure it's a great burden for any man to leave such a beautiful bride behind on their first full day as husband and wife."

A smile returned to Elizabeth's face, along with a quick blush. "Thank you, Sebastian," she said, genuinely happy with the compliment. How kind of him to try and make me feel better, she thought. She returned to the sitting area, sipped a cup of tea and waited for Maylene to arrive.

Downstairs Sebastian walked through the hallways to locate Maylene. He found her in the library, on the ladder, pulling books from the shelf and wiping their covers free of dust. Sebastian entered the room and called her name. Startled from the interruption in the silence, Maylene jumped, losing her footing on the ladder. She fell backwards toward the floor, her hands clutching at the air above her. Sebastian sighed in annoyance. As he had done so many times in the past, he assumed the position to catch Maylene and prevent her from making contact with the floor. He caught Maylene in his arms, she barely had time to register her location before he placed her feet on the floor.

"Really, you must be more careful," Sebastian scolded the girl as she backed against the wall blushing.

"Y-y-yes, Sebastian," the girl stammered out.

"I need you to go upstairs and tend to Lady Elizabeth," Sebastian ordered after taking a moment to scrutinize the young maid. "She needs help bathing and dressing. You'll also need to change out the bedclothes in the room."

Sebastian seriously questioned leaving Lady Elizabeth in the care of Maylene. There was just no telling what havoc this clumsy maid would wreak. Deciding the situation called for a little motivation, Sebastian stepped closer to the girl. She blushed furiously and broke out in a sweat. Sebastian placed a hand over his chest and bowed very slightly at the waist. The action brought his face level with Maylene's, and also much closer.

"I would be personally grateful to you," Sebastian began, "If you would be very careful and do your best with Lady Elizabeth. In fact, Show me just how good you can be," he paused intentionally, eyes smoldering, "at your job."

Maylene was now beet red and quite sure that her heart was going to burst free from her chest. Resolve overwhelmed her. She would make Sebastian proud she told herself. Brimming with self confidence she gave Sebastian a hearty "Yes, Sir" , complete with solider salute, before hurrying from the room. Sebastian watched her hurry down the hall to the linen closet. He hoped his "motivation" would be enough to keep Maylene from causing any real catastrophe.

**A/N: Sorry if this chapter is a bit boring. Also, I use "Maylene" because that's the name listed on this site rather than Mey-Rin. **


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